I live on a hill, so checking my oil has to be arranged a little bit less conveniently than I'd like. I understand from the manual that I need to get the car warmed up to operating temperature, and then wait 10 minutes. Here's my question ... if I can't check it at exactly the 10 minutes mark, how much time do I have to still get an accurate reading? For example if I park on a level spot at the diner, can I check the oil after 1/2 hour? 1hr? How long past 10 minutes is too long? TIA.

 

You act as if Nissan makes an accurate dipstick...

 

depends how long you were driving before you shut it off, the longer you drive the more the heat will spread throughout the engine bay(even with my spacers my IM gets warm/somewhat hot after a long period of driving).if you run the a/c it will get hot faster..drive to a store and go in and walk around for 15 minutes and then check it, you must have time for that.

 

I don't understand why the FSM has the procedure like that but yea as long as the engine is still warm you should get good reading.

BTW one trick I have tried in the past is to open the oil filler cap while at the gas station. By the time I get done at the pump the oil level has leveled out.

 

the only reason you have to wait for it after driving is for oil to drain back into the oil pan, and if you're parked on a slope you'll never know the exact oil level unless you compare it to flat measurement and use that as your baseline.
heat has nothing to do with oil level. you can keep the engine in the oven or whatever but if you drove it oil gets thrown all over the engine and needs time to drain back down thanks to gravity and after 10 minutes most of it is in the pan which will give you proper reading if car is on a flat surface

 

So if that's the case, warming up the engine is a wasted step, right? All that matters is that its parked on a level spot?

 

the hotter the oil is the faster it will settle and give you a reading.

 

give me an example when engine is cold and oil has been disturbed?
unless you just started the engine and shut it down and was checking oil level right away there is no situation you need to warm it up

 

after an oil change...the filter holds oil so its usually a good idea to check it afterwards

 

Nissan doesnt say you need to check it hot in the FSM either, that info is for an oil change, warm up the engine to get more oil out before the oil change(which is very true,as i experience it regularly), and run it after you add the new oil to check for leaks, then check it 10 minutes later so the oil can drain. it says nothing about checking conditions.

 

HOly crap!
All this for checking the dipstick?!?!

ALWAYS check the oil level on the dipstick with the engine COLD to get the most accurate reading.
Oh - yeah: on a level surface as well.
I used to do this either at work or in a parking lot as suggested (sloped driveway too).

Yes - you'll see mechs check it while it's warm or even hot -- but that's because they don't have time to wait for it to cool off adequately to get ALL of the oil out of the engine, and back into the pan.

Dipstick sits in the bottom of the oil pan, where the cold oil resides.
Gravity and such.

nuff said.

gr

 

If you don't have a level spot where you live, check the oil in the parking lot next time you go shopping, when you get back to your car.

WAY too much discussion about engine temp. You guys are over-analyzing this very simple thing.

^^^
Oh, hey... lookit that! Hi Nate.

 

Figures -- the "old men" chime-in to say...."hey youngsters: you've over-thinking it!"

Oy John.

 

Ghostrider is right, check it when the engine is cold and on flat surface. Double check it if its nessessary.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

 

If you live on a hill check the level after your next oil change and use that mark as the baseline (assuming it was filled properly). If you always do it the same way you'll know when there's a change.

 

You don't need to warm it up, just park it level turn engine off and check. If you check it with the engine on you'll get an inaccurate reading.

 

I always check the morning after it's been sitting.

Also, I park on a hill, I have learned the compensation required to get an accurate hill reading on my dipstick.

In my driveway, when it shows about 1/4 the way up the hash marks, its at the full line on flat ground.

 

Level engine off and check!!